


A Hundred Ways to Say "I Love You"

by fairlylocaldreamer



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:01:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21941821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fairlylocaldreamer/pseuds/fairlylocaldreamer
Summary: He doesn't say the three magic words when she expects it.
Relationships: Josh Dun/Debby Ryan
Comments: 3
Kudos: 15





	A Hundred Ways to Say "I Love You"

He doesn't say the three magic words when she expects it.

He doesn't say them when he leaves for weeks on tour; he doesn't say them when she picks him up from airports with a smile made of golden sunshine rays. Instead, he kisses her forehead, mumbles against her skin, "I missed you."

Which is good.

He doesn't say them at home, and much less on social media. Not even when he tightens his arm around her waist in the morning, muttering something incoherent into the back of her neck. When she asks him what he said, still half-asleep herself, he kisses her shoulder before whispering, "Good morning."

Which is good.

He doesn't say them at night. Nights are almost always for emotions they've tried to bury, whispered words and untold fears. Nights are when he holds her shuddering body, cards his fingers through her hair in soothing motions, tells her, "You're okay. You're home."

Which is good.

Nights are also for adult things. And he doesn't say the words then, either. Not even when he falls apart beneath her, or over her, not even when he holds her hips hard enough to leave bruises and comes with a wordless cry that is almost her name.

Which is good.

Sometimes he stares at her, just because he can. When she's handing him coffee, or cuddling with her cat, or writing a poem. When she asks him why he's doing it, he shrugs, says, "You're beautiful" and delights in watching her turn a pretty shade of pink.

Which is good. 

He doesn't say the words, and she doesn't need them.

He says the words on a day not expected. He asks her over the phone what kind of shampoo she uses, because yes, he knows it's coconut, but there are about fifty different brands of coconut so could she just please _tell him what brand_ and he sounds a little bit breathless, maybe because rain to the store to avoid getting caught in the rain, and she laughs and tells him what brand and snuggles into the hoodie that smells like him. He mutters and exasperated _thank you_ and she can hear his smile over the receiver, so when he says, "I'll see you at home, love you," she doesn't even register until she's set her phone down.

He says the words a lot after that; before he leaves for tour, and as soon as he comes back. He says them every morning, searing them into her skin with his lips, every night and every time he gets the chance. She says them back every time, and they come as easy as breathing.

Which is very, _very,_ good.

**Author's Note:**

> can you believe it's been a year since these babies got engaged ughhhh I want to cry they're so cute :,)  
> also, sorry for being mia recently lmao school be kicking booty
> 
> I have a tumblr now! You can find me by clicking [here.](https://fairly--local-dreamer.tumblr.com) Send me questions, requests, whatever. Let's hang out!  
> Thanks for reading! Leave kudos or comments if you want, and have a great day/night/whatever. Stay street and stay alive my dudes.


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